


The Danger in the Marketplace

by ahunmaster



Series: God AU [51]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Blood, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Genderbending, Gods, Gore, Het, Human, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Molestation, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 15:16:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6334060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahunmaster/pseuds/ahunmaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wheeljack and Thornstriker are almost kidnapped and sold into slavery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Danger in the Marketplace

"Wheeljack, I think we have all we need.  Maybe we should head back now..."  
  
"I still haven't found any leather yet.  I want to get a bit before it gets harder to get a better trade when winter starts coming in."  
  
"But we looked through a bunch of leather already!  It's too early to buy any good ones yet."  
  
"I know I'll find a good hide somewhere."  
  
Thornstriker sighed.  Primus, when Wheeljack had her mind set on something, she was hard to convince otherwise.  Almost like Airstream.  
  
But while it was fine sometimes, it was getting ridiculous in this case.  They had been at the market all day long and some stands were already setting up to go home.  Their goods were fine, but they needed to head home soon to put everything away properly and get some dinner.  
  
At least she wouldn't be worried about them walking back when the light was starting to fade.  Bloodshed was usually there to escort them to and from the market, not wanting anything to happen to her (and Wheeljack, but he was more concerned about her) if he could help it.  He even waited around in the area after he escorted them.  She had told him he didn't have to stay while they shopped, but he wanted to be there in case something happened.  
  
Thornstriker hoped he wasn't that disgruntled having to entertain himself the entire day.  It wasn't supposed to take that long, but Wheeljack was having a field day with some of the bargaining.  That is, everything except for the leather she wanted to start buying so early in the summer season.  As if they'd find any good ones since the only stalls open were the ones still hoping a quick last sale and those were rarely anything as valuable as-  
  
But then she caught a stand a bit off the ways that looked to be selling....!  
  
"Wheeljack, how about that stand?"  
  
The older woman stopped in her tracks to look in the direction Thornstriker was pointing.  "Hmm, I don't know.  Doesn't look that great-"  
  
"Wheeljack, we've been shopping all day.  Everyone is closing up to go home like we should be doing!  And Bloodshed and Airstream are waiting for us, Primus they might even be worried sick about us!  Let's just check out this last stall and then call it a day whether or not you can bargain a good price."  
  
Sighing, the more voluptuous woman looked between the young woman and the stand.  The other was right even though she really didn't want to admit it.  They had been here all day long.  Airstream was probably worried and as for the God of Wrath... well, at least he wasn't storming the marketplace looking for them which was a good sign.  But he was probably getting a little annoyed... and she was getting hungry since they only had a small lunch here at the market.  
  
"Sigh... alright, but don't stop me this time when I'm bargaining for a good deal.  I only lost that last one."  
  
Thornstriker sighed as she followed the other.  Finally, the day was almost over and she could finally go home.  She hoped Bloodshed wouldn't be too mad having to wait up in the woods all day while they shopped.  Or perhaps taking some of the load she had on her.  Primus, these things were getting heavy carrying them around all day.  Maybe next time they go on an all-day market spree, she should bring him along to help carry some of the stuff.  
  
But as she pondered in thought and while the other was too busy trying to make out a price for a rather nice size hide she saw on display at the stand, they failed to notice a few men shift to follow along side of them.  They also failed to notice how the men were coming closer, starting to steer them closer to the wall and more out of the way of the small, but decent sized crowd still there.  
  
One of them finally noticed something just as they were getting to a small alleyway.  Thornstriker only noticed the cramping of space they had, "Wheel-"  
  
It happened within an instant.  Hands reached out of the alleyway to grab Wheeljack.  Thornstriker didn't even have the chance to scream as the men surrounding them grabbed her and pulled them both into the shadows of the alleyway.  Both were unable to fight back as the group of men quickly tied and gagged them before throwing them into cloth.  With the women secured, the men quickly divided up the goods they had dropped and walked back out into the marketplace looking like normal people who had just finished a day of bargain and buying.  
  
No one blinked at the sight of two rolled up cloth, unaware it contained a bound woman in each.

* * *

Thornstriker couldn't stop the tears from falling.  Primus, this was like the time that cult had snatched her and tried to sacrifice her to Bloodshed.  But this time, her lover had no way of knowing where she was unlike that time.  There would be no way to save her or Wheeljack.  Primus, why was this happening?  
  
Wheeljack was doing everything she could to stay calm.  She was being kidnapped and she was certain they had taken Thornstriker too.  Scum like them usually only snatched one lone woman, but she and her sister-in-law were too perfect to pass up with all their goods and all.  Damn it, she should have just waited until next time to start looking for leather!  Now they were both about to head to a horrible fate or worse!  
  
She kept her ears open as best as possible, trying to figure out where they were heading.  It sounded like they were leaving the market place into the woods.  Damn, this made it worse.  At this rate, their only hope was to try to run and hope one of them could lose their gag to yell for the God of Wrath.  He would definitely be looking for them with how late it was and all.  And he would hear a cry for help, especially if it came from Thornstriker.  Hopefully he could hear them from this far.   But he would probably go to Thornstriker first since she was his lover.  He wouldn't abandon her though, but these kidnappers would definitely get to her first probably.  And punish her for running.  
  
Wheeljack bit her gag hard.  If that was the case, then so be it.  She couldn't put Thornstriker through that again.  Only a miracle and the love of a god saved her from that bastardous cult.  She could not let the other suffered that fate at the hands of these scum.  But at least she could try.  She could try to get the God's attention.  At least give the younger woman a better chance at being rescued.  
  
She realized that the men had stopped moving. Before she realized it, she was plopped onto the hard ground and she could feel Thornstriker hit the floor next to her. Sunlight then assaulted her vision when the cloths were suddenly removed from them, Wheeljack having to blink a couple times to see clearly.  
  
But when she got her vision back, she could clearly see that they were no longer in the market place. In fact, she couldn't really tell where they were. They seemed to be in a clearing of some sort, completely surrounded by thick trees and flora. There were a total of seven men standing there, looking incredibly pleased with themselves. She glanced next to her, eyes widening when she saw Thornstriker shaking violently with tears pouring down her face.   
  
Dear Gods, the poor girl... She looked so frightened. And she knew it was because she was thinking back to when that cult had kidnapped her and tried to sacrifice her. Damn it, she had to find a way to get them out of here!    
  
She could hear them laughing.  "Two for one.  This day couldn't get any better."  
  
"We'll be able to get enough gold to last a while, eh?"  
  
"Perhaps.  But why can't we keep one of them?  We won't have to worry about not being lonely for the next few months!"  
  
Thornstriker's muffled crying got louder as the men laughed harder.  
  
"Why can't we keep em' both?  That way we won't wear them out as fast?"  
  
"We can't afford to keep two whores.  Two extra mouths and more work having to keep them from running and shit.  We'll keep one and sell the other for a good price."  
  
"But which one?"  
  
The shortest one, Wheeljack assuming he was the little ring leader of this whole group, paused for a moment as he looked to her and Thornstriker. He slowly walked over to them, Thornstriker flinching back and whimpering while Wheeljack's eyes just narrowed into a harsh glare. He kneeled down in front of her, seizing her by the chin and making her look at him. Her glare just grew darker, which made him laugh.  
  
"Looks like someone's got a bit of a fighter's spirit in her."   
  
Wheeljack didn't know what she could to try and make him pay with how she was tied up at the moment, but she was unable to think any further when he slapped her.  She was so caught off guard that she ended up collapsing back into the ground.  She could hear Thornstriker trying to call out to her behind her gag.  
  
"And now this one..." the short man moved over to Thornstriker, grabbing her chin roughly and pulling her up.  He smiled at the look of fright in her eyes as she barely made an effort to resist his hand turning her this way and that, the fear biting at her ability to fight back.  
  
"She's a cute one."  Another man mentioned.  
  
"The slavers would pay gold for her!" Another man came up from behind her to slap her bottom, making Thornstriker flinch violently at the touch as she tried to get away from them and the man still roughly holding her chin.  
  
He was stronger than he looked as he chuckled, "True, but she's no fighter.  She wouldn't dare run from us once we've... taught her correctly," he laughed as he moved his other hand to reach up and touch her chest.  "She'll be an easy whore; she'll be serving us properly in no time once we've gotten her used to our needs."  
  
Wheeljack wanted to throw up.  How could Primus allow such scum to exist on this world?  She could see the other crying hard, tears streaming down her face as she couldn't get away from the hand now squeezing her breast hard.  And it got worse as another man came up from behind her to grope her bare thigh after he pushed up her dress.  
  
"Fuck no.  I say we keep this one."  Wheeljack jumped as a man sat down on her back before pulling her head back by the hair.  "That one will break too easily.  She'll barely last a month!  But this one-" he leaned down to lick up Wheeljack's cheek, "She's got muscle and fat.  Once we break her fighting spirit, she'll be able to last us the whole winter!"  
  
"I don't want to waste my time trying to break a fighter only to lose her if she manages to escape!"  The leader let go of Thornstriker as the man fondling her thigh moved to inspect her chest in place of the other.  "Remember that one broad we got last year that you let escape?"  
  
"That was an accident!"  
  
"I think he has a good idea," said another as he joined the men arguing, "As long as we're careful, we can hold onto the bigger whore.  Besides, we can get more money out of the smaller one than the big one.  They like pretty ones; they have enough slaves for hard labor."  
  
"What if one of us gets hurt from her?  She's strong enough to do some damage."  
  
"But the other's weak.  Remember that one girl we got near the end of last winter?  We only had her for a week and a half before she drowned herself in that lake!"  
  
"We'll just keep an extra eye on her then!"  
  
"But we still don't have enough for the winter!  We lost Rie and Blake last winter because we didn't have enough!"  
  
"They got themselves killed trying to hunt in the middle of a snowstorm!"  
  
"Enough!"  The leader screamed.  The men stopped arguing and the ones groping and fondling the women stopped too.  
  
"Alright, how about this?  We'll 'test' them out."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We can’t keep them both.  If we want to survive the coming winter, we need to sell one of them.  So on the way to the slave market, we’ll test them both out.  The one we like best we keep for the winter and we sell the other once we get to the slavers.  A win win.  We get good company and we get money.  How does that sound?”  
  
The men cheered as the two bound women felt their hearts stop.  Wheeljack was trying to think of something, anything she could do to stop them.  She had to get Thornstriker out of there!  She couldn't let them do that to her husband's little sister!  
  
She started to buck at the man on her back, moving her bound hands enough to elbow him in the stomach.  
  
"Oof!" She was able to send him back onto the ground, but she only managed to start getting up, one knee prepared to push her up, before a kick was delivered to her vulnerable stomach.  
  
Thornstriker screamed into her gag, ignoring the hands reaching under her dress as she watched the older woman roll onto her back groaning from the pain before another kick was delivered to her again.  
  
"Hey, don't be rough on the bitch.  We don't need them dying on us before we get them to the slavers!"  
  
"Come on boss, where's the fun in breaking her spirit if we don't get a little rough with her?"  
  
"We still need them in good shape.  Slavers won't pay much for a slave with broken bones."  
  
"Where's the fun beating them up to break them?  If we just tie her down and go at her for a night, that'll break her more than a few bruised ribs."  
  
"Good idea," the man kicking Wheeljack stopped as he leaned down to snicker at Wheeljack's pained face, "Man, it'll be fun hearing you scream yourself hoarse tonight."  
  
"Maybe we should save that for another night.  I wanna play with her first."  One of the men around Thornstriker said as he reached down to put his hand down her dress's front to squeeze a breast.  
  
"No way, I want first shot at her!" the one with his hands under the skirt of her dress grabbed her hard as he pulled her away from the other, causing Thornstriker to cry even harder.  
  
"For Primus's sake, enough bickering!  We can decide our order once we get back to our hideout.  Damas and Ros, you two carry the girls. The rest of you get the supplies!"  
  
More bickering came from the men as Wheeljack laid there in pain, her spirit and her body beginning to fail as she struggled to stay conscious.  Damn it, she couldn't give up now.  She had to save Thornstriker.  She could hear the girl crying as one of the men threw her over their shoulder.  She turned away from the sight of the men ogling her vulnerable body like starved dogs to the crunching footsteps next to her.  
  
A tall man and the short boss were standing next to her, the latter laughing hard as the other reached down to start picking her up.  "You shouldn't be so worried about your friend.  My friends will keep her company tonight.  I, on the other hand, will be with you all night long.  It's gonna be fun watching your fighting spirit break while you’re underneath me and-"  
  
Wheeljack never heard what he said next.  She didn't even get the chance to see what happened to him next as blood suddenly covered him.  She finally realized what had happened when the parts of the man who was trying to pick her up covered her and the boss.  She turned away to see the rest of the body fall back.  She heard screaming from behind.  
  
A black jaguar appeared behind where the man was, its body just standing at the edge of the clearing as it stared them all down.  It's red, angry eyes were focused on one person.  
  
Wheeljack and Thornstriker noticed him, but would be unable to recollect what exactly had happened next.  Thornstriker could remember joy at recognizing the big cat before she was jolted.  The man carrying her was either running or still standing at the time Bloodshed blew him up, but regardless she fell to the ground in a puddle of flesh and blood and screaming on top of one of the men.  
  
Wheeljack could remember the jaguar sprinting and jumping over her, rolling back to watch him charge the group.  She could hear what sounded like pops and cracks followed by more screaming.  She thought she had seen one of the men’s throats trapped between the god’s teeth.  She didn’t know if he had torn it off the body or was flinging the man away, but she did remember it being the guy that was caught under Thornstriker.  And that he had been the one feeling her up the most before.  
  
She wasn’t certain why she had turned back.  Maybe the sight was too much for her.  Perhaps it had been relief that Bloodshed was there, standing over Thornstriker's body with all the men taken care of.  Or it may have possibly been because she knew there was still one man left.  
  
The leader of the kidnappers was now sitting a few feet away from her.  His pants were wet with what looked to be piss and scat.  His mouth was wide and gaping as saliva bubbled and flowed down his chin while he looked ready to collapse.  It was quite a sight considering how confident he looked a minute ago with his threats of what he would to her later.  His eyes widened, obviously afraid of what was happening behind her before he attempted to run away, his stained buttocks getting even wetter in his attempt to run.  
  
He didn't get far.  Wheeljack saw the giant jaguar jump over her again to smash into his back.  The screaming she had heard just a few seconds before escalated in volume before it became gurgles and drowning sounds.  It made sense considering the god was ripping and tearing at his back into his vital organs, mainly the lungs.  She didn't know why she didn't look away; yes, she wasn't that squeamish around blood and such, but she thought she would have looked away when she saw the man's tongue being ripped out through his back by Bloodshed's teeth.  Or his spine.  Or the splatters of his brain when the God finally turned back into his God form to pound away at the, if not already, dead carcass underneath him.  
  
No, she just laid there and watched as the God smashed his fist into the body over and over again.  It was a while before he stopped and it wasn't long after that that he turned to look back at her.  Or perhaps the one behind her.  Oh Primus, please let it not be that Thornstriker saw him like this?  
  
But she heard a grunt, almost as if someone was waking up.  Wheeljack, ignoring the pain from her bruised sides and stomach, turned back over to look at the younger girl.  She was facing away from them, squirming and moving slowly.  The fall must have knocked her out for a moment.  Which meant she probably hadn't seen much besides the two men blowing up...  
  
Footsteps filled the space as the woman watched the god run to the other's side, blood covering his entire upper body as he stopped just behind her.  He reached out and hesitated for a moment before he untied her.  Gently picking her up, he pulled the girl into his hold, staining her dress with the blood and other fluids staining his front.  
  
Wheeljack couldn't bring herself to try and get their attention so she could be untied.  She didn't want to, not with how Bloodshed was.  She knew that the god loved the young woman, but she hadn't never thought that love to be this intense.  So intense that he would tear apart flesh and bone to get her back.  It was like with the mad cult that had kidnapped her sister-in-law before.  She had heard what had befallen of them, but she had thought that to be because they were ruthless and sadistic warriors.  
  
The pain started to take over as she watched the god cradle the young woman's form.  It was so juxtaposed, his bloody state and Thornstriker's disheveled, but innocent figure.  And when a hand reached up to hold him back, Wheeljack could only let the darkness crawl into her sight before she finally passed out, the adrenaline fading away and torment of the last hour finally catching up with her.

* * *

"I think she's waking up."  
  
Wheeljack flinched.  Primus, her head...  
  
"Can you get me some more water?"  
  
"This is the last of what we have.  I'll have to get some more."  
  
"Thornstirker-"  
  
"I'll get the water."  
  
"Bloodshed, you don't have to-"  
  
"I'll come with you.  You shouldn't be carrying those heavy pails with your injuries."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Thornstiker-"  Wheeljack finally recognized the voice as that of her husband, "Just... let him go with you."  
  
"Airstream?"  
  
"Please... just take him with you."  
  
Finally opening her eyes, she closed them again as the light of the candles blinded her.  
  
"Wheeljack?  Wheeljack, are you alright?"  
  
Wheeljack threw her head back and forth, the pain becoming too much before relief came in the form of a wet cloth on her forehead.  Grabbing the hand placing it down, she gripped it hard before she was able to open her eyes again.  
  
Airstream, tired and disheveled, was kneeling next to her, his hands gently patting down the wet cloth on her head before he moved to hold her hand.  She could feel his hands shaking slightly before he brought up her hand to kiss it.  
  
"Airstream?"  
  
"Thanks Primus," his voice was hoarse, but she could hear the sigh of relief in the back of his throat, "Primus, you wouldn't wake up.  We didn't know if you ever wake up."  
  
Opening her eyes a little more, she couldn't do more than mouth a response before her head turned to the doorway.  It looked like her and Airstream's room.  And she thought she saw Thornstriker and Bloodshed in the doorway.  
  
"Wheeljack-" The younger woman said as she moved forward, only to stop as she nearly dropped the bucket in her hands.  Bloodshed grabbed it and placed it on the ground before he held her to him again.  She noticed the bandage on the girl's left arm, hence he was gently pulling her to him.  
  
"Wheeljack?"  
  
She turned back to her husband, "How-?  Is-?"  
  
"You've been asleep for a whole day and a half.  Thornstriker told me what had happened and what happened to those... bastards."  
  
"They're-?"  
  
"Dead," Bloodshed interjected as he placed the buckets down to gently walk Thornstriker over to the woman's other side, "They will never lay their hands on another woman ever again."  
  
"W-Wheeljack..." Thornstriker mumbled before she kneeled down to hug her, tears rolling down her face as she cried into the other's dress.  
  
"T-Thornstriker?  A-Are you okay?"  
  
"Y-You wouldn't wake up!  I-I kept calling out your name and you still w-wouldn't w-wake up even when Bloodshed brought us home!  A-And y-you were hurt!  The bruises and cuts!  You wouldn't wake up when we were bandaging you and you still wouldn't wake up even though we stayed with you all night and kept calling your name and holding your hand and... and..."  
  
More bawling erupted from the girl as she continued to cry into the other's shoulder.  Wheeljack wished she could have comforted the younger woman, but she was so tired...  
  
"Thornstriker-"  
  
"Come on, Thornstriker.  Let her rest, she's been through a lot."  
  
Both women looked up to the god as he gently began to pull her away from the other.  
  
"B-But Bloodshed-"  
  
"You haven't gotten much sleep since yesterday.  You need to rest or else your arm won't heal."  
  
"B-But-"  
  
"Wheeljack is okay now.  Let's leave her and your brother alone, alright Thornstriker?"  
  
Despite her grip on her sister-in-law, Thornstriker eventually let go only to kiss the other on the cheek.  "I-I'm so glad y-you're alright.  P-please be okay."  
  
"I will Thornstriker.  I'll be just fine."  Primus, the younger woman did look rather haggard.  Just how much sleep had she gotten after the attack?  
  
"Bloodshed."  
  
The God picked his lover up gently to cradle the tired woman as he turned to the human male.  "I'll stay by her bedside while she rests.  Unless you want me to leave to get the water."  
  
Airstream's grip tightened a fraction before he let up, seeing his sister's hand grip Bloodshed's arm tighter.  "I'll relieve you in a bit.  Then you can go get the water."  
  
The other nodded before he left the room, leaving the wife and husband to themselves.  
  
"Airstream... is Thornstriker okay?"  
  
Her husband turned back to her as he reached out to stroke her face, "She's okay except for her bruised arm.  She... said she fell on it when the god was rescuing you two.  And... she's been having trouble sleeping ever since the attack.  Nightmares..."  
  
"Primus..."  
  
"But you... wouldn't wake up.  You only just broke the fever you had a few hours ago since Bloodshed brought you back.  And you would sometimes move, almost like you were having a nightmare, but you wouldn't wake up like Thornstriker was."  
  
"She... Thornstriker..."  
  
"Wheeljack, she's fine... she's-" now it was her husband's turn to break down, burying his face into the hands holding hers as she felt tears dampen her skin, "Primus, I thought you would never open your eyes.  I thought you were going to die."  
  
"No, Airstream, no I would never leave you."  She reached up as best as she could, ignoring the pain coming from her body, to hold his cheek, "I can handle more than what those bastards did.  Their kicks were like feathers hitting my skin."  
  
He let out a hagged chuckle as he turned to kiss her hand, "I know.  I know you're strong.  I was just so afraid."  
  
"I'm fine now.  I'm home with you and Thornstriker and Bloodshed," she managed a chuckle with his angry look, "Well, at least no one will dare attack a house with a god under its roof, right?"  
  
Airstream shook his head before he reached down to hug her, kissing her cheek as he held her as close as he could without bothering her, "I don't care about that.  I'm just so glad you're alright.  You're alright."  
  
She was able to return this hug.  "I'm home.  I'll be alright as long as I'm with you."  
  
He didn't say anything as he drew back to kiss her.  Primus, she missed these kisses.  And she may have never had them again if Bloodshed hadn't saved them from those despicable men.  
  
No, she didn't need to shed a thought for those fools.  They were dead.  She saw the God kill them with her own eyes.  They would never be able to do what they had promised to them to another woman ever again.  She and Thornstriker would not have to suffer that fate.  They would be able to live on, to be with the ones they loved.  
  
And after they stopped kissing, after he went to go check on his sister, after they settled in for the night and he joined her in bed, she would fall back asleep.  
  
And she wouldn't have a nightmare that night as she was held in her husband's arms.


End file.
